Masters of Their Environment

Cephalopods, octopus, cuttlefish, and squid, are masters of their marine environments. Ranging from shallow shoreline habitats to the deepest ocean depths, these shell-less mollusks continue to amaze. The creatures have evolutionary roots stretching back 470 million years ago to the Ordivician Period of Earth's history.

New research published by the University of Adelaide in South Australia, compiled a global database of cephalopod catch rates to investigate trends in their abundance. They are generally increasing which is good news for the ecologically and commercially important wildlife species.

The lead Australian investigator, Zoe Doubleday, commented "cephalopods are called ‘weeds of the sea’ with unique sets of biological traits, including rapid growth, short lifespans, and flexible development. These features allow them to adapt to changing environmental conditions (such as temperature) more quickly than many other marine species."

A video explains 8 reasons why octopus rule their ocean environmentswhy octopuses rule the oceans after evolving for an eternity in the seas.